The four-semester, full-time program offers a unique course program that combines the acquisition and development of practical skills in journalism with theoretical grounding. The program ends with a master's thesis and colloquium. Successful graduates receive a Master of Arts (M.A.).

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

The BBC has announced a number of key partnership agreements to share specialist training and resources with other broadcasters, industry organisations and the public across the UK.The partnerships are unveiled today at the official launch of the BBC Academy, the BBC's dedicated centre of excellence for training in journalism, production, leadership and technology.The new initiatives are part of an unprecedented strategy to develop partnerships and give wider access to the BBC's training resources and skills to support the wider UK media industry.

The new plans include:

Making the BBC College of Journalism's website freely available in the UK. The site – which has been running for three years inside the BBC – contains masterclasses from leading BBC journalists like Evan Davis, John Humphrys, Robert Peston, Jenni Murray and Jeremy Vine. It covers craft skills and ethics and values and there are hundreds of video and audio examples alongside interactive modules where you can test yourself. The site will be available by subscription outside the UK.

Joining forces with Channel 4 to create the Diversity 2010 programme, which aims to increase understanding of diversity in the workplace and embed it in our future leadership. Through a series of workshops and events across one year, up to 10 participants from each organisation will gain a deeper understanding of modern thinking about diversity, through exposure to best practice in areas including politics, the commercial sector and local communities as well as the media industry.

A collaboration with ITV to improve employability in the media industry for people with disabilities. By sharing best practice and enabling two-way placements, ITV will further develop its Enabling Talent disability programme and the BBC its award-winning Extend Scheme.

Sharing the BBC's Multiplatform Foundation training model with other broadcasters and organisations including PACT, BECTU and the Indie Training Fund. The Academy will provide a template for industry professionals to tailor and deliver a range of production and development exercises, workshops and mentoring to improve multiplatform understanding and capability in their organisations.

Delivering ideas development and pitching workshops for independent and in-house producers outside London to share and nurture best practice and help to increase the number of commissions from the nations as part of the BBC's Out Of London production strategy. The workshop has piloted in Belfast and will be held in Cardiff and Glasgow in the New Year.

The Academy launch will be attended by BBC Director-General Mark Thompson, Deputy Director-General Mark Byford, Chair of the Academy Board, and key figures from the broadcasting industry.

Speaking at the launch, BBC Academy Director, Anne Morrison says: "The quality of the BBC's training across journalism, production, technical and leadership skills is rightly renowned across the world. These partnerships will open up our training resources to the industry in new ways as never before. We'll look for further opportunities to do this wherever we can.

"Our aim is to create a world-class organisation that benefits all BBC staff and, through partnerships, helps support the wider industry. These major new agreements mark a major step towards our long-term ambitions."

Mark Byford adds: "The BBC is determined to support the wider UK media industry through difficult times and, by sharing valuable training resources like the College of Journalism, we can help to secure the best standards and learning in the world."

These new measures build upon our video news syndication, Radio Live Player and other partnerships to support the media industry which is why we are extending our partnership commitments in training to work with other organisations in a challenging media landscape."

These additional initiatives build upon existing BBC schemes to train freelance talent for the benefit of the industry, including the Series Producers Programme, Writers Academy and writersroom, College of Comedy and the Design Trainee Scheme.

Established in April 2009, the BBC Academy brings together all the BBC's training and development across four areas – Journalism, Production, Leadership and Technology. The Academy focuses on providing high-quality training to all BBC staff and building external relationships to extend the BBC's training resources to the wider industry

The BBC's Charter Agreement includes a responsibility to train the broadcasting industry.

There is so much information available to journalists that it is criminal when they neglect internet research and turn out unprofessional and uninformed reports, Ms Ajoa Yeboah-Afari, Chairperson of Editors Forum, said on Tuesday in Accra.

What is worse is what can be regarded as another form of cyber crime; people shamelessly steal the work of others just because the material is available on line, she said.

She said generators of original materials deserved respect, support and appreciation and urged people to credit sources, which they found good enough to use in their stories or put in their radio programmes.

Mr. Emmanuel K. Dogbevi, Managing Online Editor of the ghanabusinessnews.com, said though the site had been in operation for only a year, it had made such remarkable impact that its visitor profile had kept growing every day.

He said for one to be successful in business one must be prepared to take a firm posture and be prepared to fight on at any cost, adding the media business terrain was not for the faint-hearted.

Mr. Dogbevi said journalism had long been held as the Fourth Estate of the Realm because of its prestigious position and importance to the good of the wider society but activities of some had pushed the dignified institution into disrepute and scorn.

He said a study recently published by the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition showed that important news and information received very little coverage and where they were covered they were buried in the inside pages.

Stories that made headlines were given poor treatment with many of the stories being one sided.

Mr Dogbevi said there was also the blatant abuse of the copyright laws and intellectual property rights of others even by leading media organizations.

Mr Affail Monney, Vice President of the Ghana Journalists Association, urged all media houses to prioritize and intensify efforts to catch up with the global communication revolution.

In Fall 2009, students from the University of Iowa's Gender and Mass Media class interviewed successful women in online journalism. The interviews are listed below as well as featured in an OurBlook online book, which includes an introduction by class professor and former director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Pamela Creedon, and Virginia Commonwealth University professor and former reporter, June Nicholson. The goal of the interview series is to familiarize the students with the challenges women in online communications face, as well as what made them successful.

The ghanabusinessnews.com was began on December 6, 2008 by Emmanuel K. Dogbevi one of Ghana's leading journalists.

With support from the World Bank, Ghana Country Office, ghanabusinessnews.com will be officially launched.Other supporters of the event are; Accra Brewery Limited and Voltic Ghana Limited.

Date: Tuesday December 15, 2009.

Time: 10:00am

Venue: International Press Centre, Accra.

Theme: Online Journalism: Putting Ghana on the global platform

The first online business, financial and economic news source on Ghana, the website has won global recognition and acceptance with a growing readership.The website also covers general news, investment, ICT, tourism, insurance, politics, sports and entertainment. It also has pages for editorials/opinion, feature articles and news from Africa and other parts of the world.Apart from generating content, the website is also an aggregator of news and information from other sources.

UNESCO has identified and catalogued up-to-date information on journalism teaching institutions across the African continent, and set up crucial criteria and indicators for defining potential institutional excellence. This groundbreaking resource will incite a range of networking and other benefits that will strengthen the role of the Centres of Excellence as hubs that create links with the Centres of Reference, to provide a positive impact on the sector as a whole.

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

The number of freelance journalists jailed around the world has almost doubled in the past three years and reflects a changing global news business, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

A report by the New York-based press freedom group found that as of December 1 there were 136 reporters, editors, and photojournalists behind bars, an increase of 11 from 2008. Almost half of those jailed are freelance media members.

It said the number of freelance media jailed had grown as the Internet allowed more journalists to work independently and some news organizations started relying on freelancers rather than staff for international coverage to cut costs.

"The days when journalists went off on dangerous assignments knowing they had the full institutional weight of their media organizations behind them are receding into history," said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon.

"Today, journalists on the front lines are increasingly working independently. The rise of online journalism has opened the door to a new generation of reporters, but it also means they are vulnerable," he said in a statement.

China was found to have jailed the most journalists for the 11th year in a row, holding 24 members of the media, followed by Iran, Cuba, Eritrea, and Burma, the report found.

Most of the 23 journalists jailed in Iran were detained during a crackdown on protesters and media after the June reelection of President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, CJP said.

Cuba is holding 22 journalists, 20 of whom were jailed when former leader Fidel Castro targeted independent press in 2003. Eritrea has imprisoned 19 journalists and Burma is holding nine.

Another 21 countries have jailed journalists, the report found, including the United States, which has detained for more than a year a freelance Iraqi journalist who worked for Reuters.

The number of online journalists in jail continued to rise to 68 this year. Print reporters, editors, and photographers account for 51 and television, radio, and documentary filmmakers make up the rest.

Programme DescriptionEvery year the International Journalists' Programmes (IJP) offer a bursary to up to six young Southern African (SADC-Member States: Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe + Kenya) and up to five young German journalists. For two months (june/july 2010) the Southern African delegates will have the chance to work in Germany. They will be integrated into the day-to-day journalism of their host newsroom while also researching stories for their home media. It is assumed that all candidates have a strong command of the English language. German language abilities are an advantage but are not mandatory. The Southern African Bursary is a multiyear effort to shape an integrated understanding of the other country and region and to foster relations between Africa and Germany. The bursary is intended to enable young journalists to gain valuable insights into the political, economical, cultural as well as the social fabric of the host country. The Southern African-German Journalists' Programme starts with an Introductory Conference for all delegates in Bonn. This will allow the participants from Southern Africa to familiarize themselves with the host country.

Mode of paymentThe Southern African delegates receive a fixed payment of 3.000 Euro. This is expected to cover most of their travel, accommodation and living expenses. No further payments will be made: delegates are expected to use their own funds for any further costs. Payment for their work with the host media is not envisaged.

ApplicationAll journalists from Southern Africa (SADC Member States + Kenya) between the age of 25 and 35 who regularly work for a media organisation can apply. 1. Enclose a CV with a passport photograph.2. Write a 800 word essay addressing the following topics:- Why you would like to work in Germany?- What you expect from the IJP and what you think you can contribute to it? - What are the 3 research topics you want to pursue during the fellowship?- What role you expect to play at your home media in the future?- How you will spend the bursary?3. Include a one-page resume detailing your education and work experience, your standard of German and English (copies of certificates/ e.g. Goethe Institut/Toefel), plus 2 copies of articles written by you (TV and radio journalists must type up their reports since no audio or video tapes can be considered) 4. A journalistic reference from your editor or head of department is required (freelancers should submit a reference from a senior journalist). It should also guarantee your leave of absence for the duration of the program. Applicants are asked to send the application documents (E-Mail) not before December 1st, 2009 and until January 31st, 2010 to the following address: vollmar@ijp.org.

Saturday, December 05, 2009

he Telegraph has launched a new version of its iPhone app, with new sharing features, an offline facility, and a function to alert the Telegraph to a breaking news story.

"By clicking on the 'Report' button, users can upload a photo and give a brief eyewitness account of breaking news," the Telegraph reported yesterday.

"This new, improved app provides a really rich, multimedia news experience," said Maani Safa, head of mobile at Telegraph Media Group. "We've made the software as easy to use as possible, and there are lots of features that readers will love."

Its first iPhone app was launched earlier this year and it has also developed a variety of apps for BlackBerry and Google Android.

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

newspaper publishers will now be able to set a limit on the number of free news articles people can read through Google, the company has announced.

The concession follows claims from some media companies that the search engine is profiting from online news pages.

Under the First Click Free programme, publishers can now prevent unrestricted access to subscription websites.

Users who click on more than five articles in a day may be routed to payment or registration pages.

"Previously, each click from a user would be treated as free," Google senior business product manager Josh Cohen said in a blog post.

"Now, we've updated the programme so that publishers can limit users to no more than five pages per day without registering or subscribing."

Google users may start seeing registration pages appear when they click for a sixth time on any given day at websites of publishers using the programme, according to Mr Cohen.

This will only affect websites that currently charge for content.

'Significant move'

The announcement is seen as a reaction to concerns in the newspaper industry that Google is using newspaper content unfairly.

Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, the chairman and chief executive of Newscorp, has accused firms such as Google of profiting from journalism by generating advertising revenue by linking readers to newspaper articles.

Some readers have discovered they can avoid paying subscription fees to newspaper websites by calling up their pages via Google.

This is because Google searches frequently link directly to newspaper articles, bypassing some sites' subscription systems.

"Rupert Murdoch is trying to build a consensus that paying for content online is right and that aggregators like Google that use newspaper content but don't pay for it are doing something wrong," he said.

Search for revenue

Newspapers are increasingly looking for new ways to make money from their online content amid a continuing decline in circulation figures and advertising revenues.

Earlier this week Johnston Press, the UK's largest regional newspaper publisher, announced plans to to begin charging for access to six of its titles online.

The move follows a 42% slump in advertising revenues at the group over the last two years.

Earlier this year, the Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) cut 1,000 jobs at its regional arm Northcliffe Media, which publishes more than 100 newspapers in England and Wales.

Newscorp, which owns the Times and the Sun newspapers in the UK, has also been affected by the downturn.

In June, it announced losses of $3.4bn (£2bn) for the previous 12 months, describing the year as "the most difficult in recent history".

It has also revealed plans to begin charging for access to all its online content. The corporation currently charges for access to its US title the Wall Street Journal.

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

.Applicants from eligible countries (see below) can apply for a fellowship, whereby travel, accommodation and the course fee are paid for by the Dutch government.

Course Aims: To strengthen the capacity of broadcast journalists/programme-makers from developing and newly-emerging countries and of the organisations they work for to compile and produce factual programming designed to inform audiences in an effective and attractive way about development-related issues and events of importance to their everyday lives.

Course Rationale: Broadcasting organisations working through radio, television and increasingly new media are an important source of information to people around the world; a source of information that can help people to make informed decisions about their lives, improve their quality of life and contribute to the social and economic progress of the societies they are a part of. Broadcasting organisations with a serious mission to inform have to do more in their factual programming than keep their audiences up to date with the news of the day; they have to place it in a context, examine and encourage debate about its (potential) impact on their listeners and viewers and where necessary provide a follow-up. And beyond current affairs there is a whole range of development-related factual programming which provides audiences with valuable information in areas that are linked to the interests and aspirations they have in their private and in their working lives, to their rights and duties as individuals and to their place and role in society as a whole. Much factual programming suffers from unimaginative treatment and an approach to the conveying of information that is routine and shows scant regard for the information needs of the audience. In an era of increased competition for audiences and of a proliferation of sources of information, the challenge facing journalists and programme- makers working in factual programming, is to make their programmes more effective and attractive. Part of that challenge – most evident in the application of Internet as a source of information – is about encouraging and developing ways for audiences to interact with their sources of information.

Course Content: Participants will explore a variety of formats used in contemporary factual programming and analyse their strengths and weaknesses and their suitability for different target audiences. Special attention will be given to the skills required to develop and present creative programme ideas, to carry out programme research and to produce effective and attractive factual programming making appropriate use of different formats. As well as carrying out a number of radio or television course assignments focusing on development-related issues of concern to their audiences at home participants from both media will also develop ideas and factual content for the internet ; in doing so they will learn to combine text, photo's, audio and video to best effect and to make use of the possibilities offered by the medium to interact with the target audiences as a means to gain feedback, give additional information, encourage discussion and debate, and develop closer ties between the broadcasting organisation and its audience.

Considerable emphasis will be placed on teamwork and where appropriate on combined sessions involving group work and interaction between radio and television participants. Course assignments will be carried out using analogue and digital recording and editing equipment. After leaving the Netherlands at the end of the course participants will become part of a network of journalists and other experts through RNTC's website, intended to foster co-operation and the further exchange of ideas and experience in the field of factual programming.